Diners and Deals

Rachel Saunders joins Seth Deutsch on Diners and Deals for a candid conversation about her unconventional path from big law to private equity to launching her own firm. She reflects on the mindset shift required to move from mitigating risk as a lawyer to taking risks as an entrepreneur, and how pivotal experiences—like investing in NFTs and running a crypto company—shaped her confidence to bet on...

In this episode of Diners and Deals, host Seth Deutsch sits down with Andy Kvesic for a candid conversation about his unconventional career path and entrepreneurial journey. From growing up as the son of Croatian immigrants in Arizona, to building a successful legal career, pivoting into public service as a prosecutor, and eventually founding a pioneering law firm, Andy shares the pivotal choices...

In this episode of Diners and Deals, host Seth Deutsch sits down with his longtime friend John Barrett to trace the pivotal moments of John's career—from earning a life-changing Evans Scholarship to learning the ropes at Xerox, turning around broken service businesses, and ultimately leading ISSA, a trade association serving over 11,000 members across 130 countries. John opens up about what really...

In this episode of Diners and Deals , I sit down with Josh Zolin, CEO of Windy City Equipment, to talk about what it takes to build a service business that scales—without losing your soul. Josh started his career as a Hollywood stuntman before joining his father's one-man repair operation. Over time, he helped transform the company into a multi-state commercial kitchen equipment service provider,...

In this episode of Diners & Deals , host Seth Deutsch sits down with Scott Silverman, founder and managing partner of Agman, for an in-depth look at how a multi-generational investment firm is quietly building and backing enduring companies in sectors often overlooked by traditional private equity. Scott shares his unconventional path—from earning a PhD in molecular genetics at Oxford to working a...

In this episode of Diners and Deals , host Seth Deutsch sits down with Dave Rauch , founder and CEO of ProTec , a company that has spent nearly three decades redefining how homeowner associations (HOAs) approach maintenance. With over 370 employees, eight offices, and more than 1,000 communities served across Southern California and Las Vegas, Dave has built a business that fills a major gap in a...

In this episode of Diners and Deals, I sit down with Matt Schachman, Co-founder of Cold Bore Capital, for a deep dive into his journey from the military to private equity. We explore how his experiences shaped the founding of Cold Bore Capital and break down the complexities of buy-and-build strategies in the microcap space. Matt shares insights on the impact of veteran leadership, the importance...

Steve is the CEO and Co-founder of Kelso Industries, which provides mechanical, HVAC, refrigeration, industrial, plumbing, and electrical services all throughout the United States.   Seth and Steve discuss: Seth and Steve discuss: - Early ambitions and motivations behind Kelso Industries - The importance of partnerships in executing a buy and build  - Challenges and strategies in finance managemen...

Matt Matros is one of America's leading consumer-focused entrepreneurs, having founded and successfully exited two businesses since 2009. Matt is the founder of PROTEIN BAR & KITCHEN®, a wildly popular chain of healthy fast-casual restaurants he sold to to private equity firm L Catterton in 2013. Matt also founded LIMITLESS®, an innovative beverage company he sold to Keurig Dr Pepper in early 2020...

Frank Campise is the Co-Founder and Principal of Jab Real Estate, which transforms underperforming properties in desirable urban neighborhoods into modern and efficient residences that attract young, upscale professionals.  On this episode, Seth, and Frank discuss: Building Jab Real Estate How to structure a team Looking at the future of the real estate market  Links: Jab Real Estate Frank Campise...

Redi Lappin is the Founder & CEO of Vokal, a growth agency purpose-built to maximize value for mid-market and private-equity brands. Reid is also joined by Hery Byrne, CFO of Vokal.   On this episode, Seth, Reid, and Henry discuss: Founding Vokal and evolving the CFO role Achieving organizational alignment Organic & inorganic growth Approaches to acquisition   Links: Vokal Reid Lappin on LinkedIn...

Chris Santiago is the CEO of RUI Construction. RUI provides multi-state construction services such as emergency restoration, fire reconstruction, fire and smoke damage repair, flood damage, water mitigation, structure drying, renovations, and additions. A Great Range Capital portfolio company since January 2022, the mid-market company is currently expanding nationally through de novo growth strate...

Welcome to Diners and Deals, the podcast where we dive deep into the journeys of entrepreneurs, business leaders, and investors making big moves in the business world. I'm your host, Seth, and in each episode, we bring you candid conversations with incredible guests who share their insights, successes, and the challenges they've faced along the way. Whether it's scaling a business, navigating priv...